Cuba maintains vigilance to prevent proliferation of forest fires

13 May 2021

Published by https://www.cadenagramonte.cu/

CUBA – More than 3,500 hectares exploded in flames in the 15 provinces of the country and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud so far this year and when there are just days until the end of the period this month little rainy or drought from December-April.

The Fire Management Department of the National Headquarters of the Cuban Forest Guard Corps (CGC) confirmed to the Cuban News Agency that most of the lost areas, amounting to 2,175.33 hectares, correspond to natural forests and the rest to planted forests.

A considerable part of the fires occurred in the western region of the nation, where Pinar del Río registered 48, Matanzas 40 and Artemisa 38.

On the contrary, the minority spent in Havana 1, Mayabeque 3 and Granma, but Guantánamo with 26 exceeded the estimates with 2,135.60 hectares, when last April a large deflagration devastated pine forests and charrascos of the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Natural World Heritage Site.

The 25th National Forest Fire Protection Campaign began last January and will conclude in May, when the rains begin just one month before the start of the cyclonic season in June.

However, the institution insisted on the need to increase the perception of the risk they represent, especially from an economic point of view.

According to their forecasts, about 300 must have occurred in Cuba from January 1 to April 30, when the critical dry period passes.

They had to impact between 2,500 and 4,000 hectares, based on the calculation of the frequency index for that stage, due to burning for various purposes, the transit of vehicles without sparks, fishermen-poachers, irresponsible smokers and passers-by. .

The hurricane season in the geographic area of ​​the tropical Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, begins on June 1 and lasts until November 30. (Text and photo: ACN)